Showing posts with label living purposefully. Show all posts
Showing posts with label living purposefully. Show all posts

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Reflections



As I look back on 2014, there is so much I could say.
It was one heck of a year, and not all good.


However, I started out with a word in mind, and through it all, I tried to remember to "nourish" myself and my family and my life.


But really, it was not me that did the nourishing.




He works all things together for good. 
He restores my soul.


He nourishes and makes me whole.




Thanking God for this new year...
I plan to relish every second of it.




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Monday, July 14, 2014

Beach Bums' Plans


While at our beach home, we just live. Like normal, but with a beach nearby.  So things like cleaning and laundry and meals and kid care go on like normal ... but with a beach nearby.  We don't do the shop till you drop or eat out everyday or hit up all the touristy places. We just live. with a beach nearby.  The children, though, wanted a plan. OK we wanted a plan so the children would stop asking 29 times a day ... when are we going to the museum? when are getting slushies? when are we.... ?

So Monday morning, after breakfast, we made a plan!


 

"Beach" is a daily event.  
We then had a few other things we wanted to do: the farm market, the local playground, the museum...



                                   For us, knowing the time of low tide is very important. 
  It is the very best time to take the children to the beach, so the rest of the day revolves around low tide!


  
We used a bit of rolled up tape to put our cards on the chart, so we could re adjust them for rainy weather. (that would be plan B!)



We hung it on the fridge for all to see.. and now when the children say, "When?" 
we just point to the fridge, cause "We have a plan!"




Each week I join several linky parties! What a fun way to share and learn!
Craft & Activity ShareMonday Sharing Day on FacebookThoughtful Spot, Natural Living MondayMontessori MondayHomemade MondaysMama Moments Monday {Link Up}The Gathering SpotLittle Wonders' DaysMom's Monday MingleMommy Moments, Frugal, Crafty HomeHip Homeschool HopMom's LibraryTuesday TotsKeep Calm Craft On {crafting on}, Tuned in TuesdayTeach Me TuesdayBackyard Farming Connection HopTuned in TuesdayTuesday TutorialsLife Created Tuesdays, Kids in the Kitchen,  It's PlaytimeWe Made That LinkyWhat I Learned WednesdayKids Co-OpArtsy Play WednesdayHealthy 2Day Wednesday, Wildcrafting WednesdayAdorned From Above Frugal Days, Sustainable WaysKids CraftsLink and Learnneedle and thREADMade U LookTender Moments with Toddlers and PreschoolersNatural Living Link-UpSmall Footprint FridayOur Days Homeschool Link-Up, For the Kids FridayFarmGirl Friday Blog HopKitchen Fun and Crafty FridayRead. Explore. Learn.Creative Learning on FridayPreschool and Kindergarten Corner,The Friday Baby ShowerTGIF Linky PartyFamily Fun FridayCreative FridayFriday Flair Link PartyShine on FridaysFriday FavsOutdoor Play PartyDo Something CraftyWeekend WhateverSaturday Show and TellTot School Gathering Place, Sharing SaturdayShare It SaturdayCountry KidsLink and LearnShow and Share SaturdayStress Free SundaySunday Parenting PointersThe Sunday ShowcaseThe Sunday Parenting PartyThe Homesteaders' Blog Hop, Making Boys MenMade with LoveRaising Memories




Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Wild Flowers


"Do you suppose she's a wild flower?"
Alice in Wonderland


"Let us dance in the sun, wearing wildflowers in our hair."
Susan Polis Schutz


"You belong among the wildflowers. You belong in a boat out at sea. 
Sail away. Kill off the hours. You belong somewhere you feel free."
Tom Petty


"Sisters are different flowers from the same garden."
Unknown


"I will go pick daisies and have a happy heart."
Engstram


"The earth laughs in flowers."
E.E. Cummings


"Daughters are like flowers. They fill the earth with beauty."
Unknown




Each week I join several linky parties! What a fun way to share and learn!
Craft & Activity ShareMonday Sharing Day on FacebookThoughtful Spot, Natural Living MondayMontessori MondayHomemade MondaysMama Moments Monday {Link Up}The Gathering SpotLittle Wonders' DaysMom's Monday MingleMommy Moments, Frugal, Crafty HomeHip Homeschool HopMom's LibraryTuesday TotsKeep Calm Craft On {crafting on}, Tuned in TuesdayTeach Me TuesdayBackyard Farming Connection HopTuned in TuesdayTuesday TutorialsLife Created Tuesdays, Kids in the Kitchen,  It's PlaytimeWe Made That LinkyWhat I Learned WednesdayKids Co-OpArtsy Play WednesdayHealthy 2Day Wednesday, Wildcrafting WednesdayAdorned From Above Frugal Days, Sustainable WaysKids CraftsLink and Learnneedle and thREADMade U LookTender Moments with Toddlers and PreschoolersNatural Living Link-UpSmall Footprint FridayOur Days Homeschool Link-Up, For the Kids FridayFarmGirl Friday Blog HopKitchen Fun and Crafty FridayRead. Explore. Learn.Creative Learning on FridayPreschool and Kindergarten Corner,The Friday Baby ShowerTGIF Linky PartyFamily Fun FridayCreative FridayFriday Flair Link PartyShine on FridaysFriday FavsOutdoor Play PartyDo Something CraftyWeekend WhateverSaturday Show and TellTot School Gathering Place, Sharing SaturdayShare It SaturdayCountry KidsLink and LearnShow and Share SaturdayStress Free SundaySunday Parenting PointersThe Sunday ShowcaseThe Sunday Parenting PartyThe Homesteaders' Blog Hop, Making Boys MenMade with LoveRaising Memories


Monday, March 17, 2014

When Play Becomes School


Saturday, we picked up a TOOB set of Mythological Creatures (at $4.99 at AC Moore we couldn't resist!) Bunny had been interested in griffins, dragons, centaurs and other such creatures, so this was a good deal all the way around.

Today was ANOTHER snow day from public school, so we had an older group of children, that were very interested in these creatures. We explained to the children that these creatures were myths and went on to explain the difference between "real" and myths.

Included in the toob was Poseidon. We chose to call him the King of the Sea as opposed to a Greek god. At an older age, we will be able to explain that the Greeks called them gods and goddesses. For now, kings and queens work well. The children played for quite a while with these.

Somewhere along the way, we remembered that we owned A Child's Introduction to Greek Mythology and the flood gates flew opened.



Bunny and the older boys devoured that book, pointing out things they were familiar with, 
asking for parts to be read ...


(sneaking in a shot of our youngest babywearing/lifeschooling girlie!)


... especially the parts that pertained to the creatures we have!



There was also a lot of role playing... with fairies, and griffins and such!



Awww ... a little bit of Interest-led Learning going on!
These kind of days feed our Life Schooling souls and make for some pretty happy children, too!



Each week I join several linky parties! What a fun way to share and learn!
Craft & Activity ShareMonday Sharing Day on FacebookThoughtful Spot, Natural Living MondayMontessori MondayHomemade MondaysMama Moments Monday {Link Up}The Gathering SpotLittle Wonders' DaysMom's Monday MingleMommy Moments, Frugal, Crafty HomeHip Homeschool HopMom's LibraryTuesday TotsKeep Calm Craft On {crafting on}, Tuned in TuesdayTeach Me TuesdayBackyard Farming Connection HopTuned in TuesdayTuesday TutorialsLife Created Tuesdays, Kids in the Kitchen,  It's PlaytimeWe Made That LinkyWhat I Learned WednesdayKids Co-OpArtsy Play WednesdayHealthy 2Day Wednesday, Wildcrafting WednesdayAdorned From Above Frugal Days, Sustainable WaysKids CraftsLink and Learnneedle and thREADMade U LookTender Moments with Toddlers and PreschoolersNatural Living Link-UpSmall Footprint FridayOur Days Homeschool Link-Up, For the Kids FridayFarmGirl Friday Blog HopKitchen Fun and Crafty FridayRead. Explore. Learn.Creative Learning on FridayPreschool and Kindergarten Corner,The Friday Baby ShowerTGIF Linky PartyFamily Fun FridayCreative FridayFriday Flair Link PartyShine on FridaysFriday FavsOutdoor Play PartyDo Something CraftyWeekend WhateverSaturday Show and TellTot School Gathering Place, Sharing SaturdayShare It SaturdayCountry KidsLink and LearnShow and Share SaturdayStress Free SundaySunday Parenting PointersThe Sunday ShowcaseThe Sunday Parenting PartyThe Homesteaders' Blog Hop, Making Boys MenMade with LoveRaising Memories


Monday, March 3, 2014

What We Have Been Up To Around Here


It is early March. Like every year at this time, I am about to lose my mind. I am the kind of person that needs to be outside everyday. I am also the kind of person who hates the cold. Really, I almost find it painful. So so sooooooo much has happened since this time last year. Part of the reason I have not been as present here is that it is hard to write about my life when a big part of my life has not yet been explained. So here it is. This is what we have been up to around here.

It was almost this time last year that I realized these truths about myself. It was also then that I decided to try to do something about it. A friend of mine was house hunting and sent me a link to look at one of the houses she liked... Little did she know it would send me into an up all night frenzy of searching various real estate sites, looking for a something. I was still unsure of what. All I knew was south.



The months drug on, and my searches became more and more defined. Though I love the idea of farm life, I really don't want to do all the work involved. I want to homeschool and craft and go for walks and bike rides and be able to wake up and decide that it is the perfect day to go to the beach and go. I also want to write. I have a few books in my head and I really want to get them out someday. All of these things were reflected in my search.



By this time, Mama knew of my crazy idea..It did give us something to pass the time in the bitter winter months. She joined me in my daydream and we defined it even further. We wanted to live near each other, on the same property like we did here, or even better... TOGETHER! After all, we do all like each other and we are best friends and it just makes sense for us. Our husbands got on board too. Like I said we all get along quite well. It was decided. When Dad retired in a few years, we would all move south.



It started getting warmer out and what we thought was a daydream started seeming like an actual possibility. When we went on vacation that May, we drove past several properties along the way and scoped out prospects. By the time August rolled around, we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted.. Or more like the exact house we wanted! The only question left was when.

In November, faced with the realization that it really was the perfect house for us and not wanting to miss out, we made an offer... and got the house! We will be using it as a vacation home for the next few years until we move.

November

December

In the mean time, Papa and I are working hard to pay off as much of our half as we can. And since we will all be living together in a few years anyway, we all decided it was best for us to rent out our current home and go ahead and move in with Mama and Dad. Now we can use the rent money to help pay on the house as well.

So we all moved next door and are loving living together. Papa, Bunny, Squirrely and I have a bedroom together (We all slept together already, so that worked out well). We split up the house work and the bills and all is going quite well. As you should all know by now, my mama is a saint. Both her and Dad have been great about their house being overrun by wild savages... I mean my lovely daughters. Everything seems to be coming into a new sense of normal. That is about all. That is what is going on and why I have been a bit quiet around here. We will be taking more trips south now, too. I hope to write more about that. Posts about surviving long car trips with children, tips on packing, and getting the house fixed up that way we want it. It is all very exciting and new.



Thursday, February 13, 2014

Cupiding


Valentine's Day is kind of a big deal around here... I heart all the hearts!
We are not into all the commercialized craziness, but it is still near the top of my favorite holidays.


This year marks Papa's and my TENTH Valentine's Day together!


The girls and I baked peanut butter chocolate chip cookies for Papa...
this recipe plus dark chocolate chips




And made strawberries and chocolate dip.
dip recipe here (buttercream frosting actually)



We don't do a lot of wheat, but it was in the house, and grilled cheese is an easy to Valentine food.


And now Papa has a lovely lovey little lunch to take to work.
I am sure all the other guys will be sooooo jealous ;)


I got 10 red roses... There were a dozen, but Bunny got one. And well, if Bunny gets something Squirrely thinks she should get one too. They were both de-petaled ( I made up that word) in minutes.
So we had rose petals in our bath that night... Which was nice too.


All this Valentine fun has been brought to you by a day off from daycare due to snow...
Lots of snow.



Happy Valentine's Day!



Each week I join several linky parties! What a fun way to share and learn!
Natural Living MondayHey Mom, Look What I Did!Montessori MondayMade by Little HandsHomemade MondaysMama Moments Monday {Link Up}The Gathering SpotLittle Wonders' DaysMom's Monday MingleMommy Moments, Frugal, Crafty HomeHip Homeschool HopMom's LibraryTuesday TotsThe Tuesday Baby Link-UpKeep Calm Craft On {crafting on}, Tuned in TuesdayTeach Me TuesdayTOO Cute TuesdayOpen Call TuesdayBackyard Farming Connection HopTuned in TuesdayKids in the Kitchen,  It's PlaytimeWe Made That LinkyWhat I Learned WednesdayKids Co-OpArtsy Play WednesdayHealthy 2Day WednesdayWildcrafting WednesdayAdorned From AboveFrugal Days, Sustainable WaysKids CraftsLink and LearnThrifty ThursdayHearts for Homeneedle and thREAD,Made U LookTender Moments with Toddlers and PreschoolersNatural Living Link-UpSmall Footprint FridayOur Days Homeschool Link-Up, For the Kids FridayFarmGirl Friday Blog HopKitchen Fun and Crafty FridayRead. Explore. Learn.Creative Learning on FridayPreschool and Kindergarten Corner,Friday's Nature TableThe Friday Baby ShowerTGIF Linky PartyFamily Fun FridayCreative Friday,Friday Flair Link PartyShine on FridaysFriday FavsOutdoor Play PartyDo Something Crafty,Weekend WhateverSaturday Show and TellTot School Gathering Place, Sharing SaturdayShare It SaturdayCountry KidsLink and LearnShow and Share Saturday,Stress Free SundayThe Sunday ShowcaseThe Sunday Parenting PartyThe Homesteaders' Blog Hop, Making Boys MenMade with Love,Raising Memories

Thursday, January 16, 2014

A Nourishing New Year


I have not been as present in this space as I would have liked to have been. I could easily excuse it by saying that I have just been busy with life and that is very much true... But it is not the main reason I have been more absent than not. Truth is, I have been focusing on healing some health issues. See, in the summer of 2012, I had Squirrely. Her birth changed me in so many ways for the better. I was on top of the world.


A few months later, Papa took a job an hour away, working 12 hour swing shifts. While him working that much was never really part of the plan, we really couldn't turn down the money he would make because it could fund dreams we never thought could come true... And so began my imminent downward spiral... It took me way too many months of basically single parenting (except I did have a little help due to living next door to Mama) while still working at our daycare and doing all the house work and animal care to realize that I could, in fact, not do it all... Or even much at all...

By summer, I was tired all the time. My house was only clean on days that Papa was home to help. Even then, it was not up to my normal standards. And just when I thought I could maybe just maybe do just enough to get by in order to survive, in May we had a surprise pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage... Then in early August, we had another miscarriage... After that I hit an all time low that lasted for over 3 months. I started to depend on caffeine or sugar (that I had not needed or even frequented them before) to get me through the day. My mind was in a constant fog. My ability to plan out or accomplish even the simplest of tasks had seemingly disappeared. I could not sleep at night even though I was dog tired. I gained weight even when I thought I was eating less. By October, I was questioning EVERYTHING. Alas, I had no idea what was wrong with me.

Finally by the grace of God, in November I found a link on a facebook page that I "liked" (I wish that I could remember what one it was so I could thank them, but like I said, I was in a constant fog). Something about healing hormonal imbalances... I followed the link. It lead me to another link... And another... And another... And there it was. Everything that was wrong with me in one diagnosis. Adrenal Fatigue. I took an online test and it turned out, my case was actually quite severe. I was so relived to finally have an answer, and I began researching how to heal.

That is what I have been doing for the past few months. I started taking all kinds of vitamins and supplements and making myself get back to eating healthy. I went to bed earlier and basically let go of a lot of stressful things in my life (including the guilt I felt for falling apart in the first place). I am feeling better. Much more like my old self again. I am keeping up with my new habits, though I think Adrenal Fatigue is one of those things that can creep back up on a person if they are not careful.

My word this year is Nourish. I will try to remember it in everything I do. There have also been some crazy amazing changes going on around here. I am not going to get into it now, but I will say that those dreams we have been working so hard for are coming true... And it nourishes my soul.



 Nourish... 
a warm foot bath with Epsom salts and essential oils while sipping on lemon water during rest time with my big girl